System and method for off-line notifying a network user

Abstract

A system and a method for indicating to the subscriber of a network, which subscriber is not continually connected to the network host facility, of the existence of a reason for initiating such a connection. A computer device is connected to the host facility and adapted for generating an indication signal addressed to the subscriber. A system modem is interconnected between a telephone communication link and the computer device so as to be responsive to the indication signal for generating an outgoing call and transmitting thereof to a subscriber modem associated with the subscriber. A counter means is associated with at least one of the modems and responsive to the outgoing call for disabling one of the modems after a predetermined period of time

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A system for indicating to a subscriber of a network that an event has occurred giving reason to initiate a connection to the network, the system comprising: 
       a subscriber unit having a modem and a counter; and  
       an indication sub-system interconnected between said subscriber unit and said host facility, said indication sub-system having a sub-system modem, said sub-system modem being interconnected via a telephone communication link with said subscriber unit modem and adapted to receive query signals from said subscriber unit and to send indication signals to said subscriber unit associated with said subscriber; wherein  
       said subscriber unit is adapted to send said query signals to said indication sub-system modem from said subscriber modem, said sub-system modem is adapted to identify said subscriber unit from said query signal and to determine whether said event has occurred, and said counter is adapted to terminate said query signal without establishing a connection with said sub-system and adapted to wait a predetermined period of time for said subscriber modem to receive a responsive indication signal from said indication sub-system in response to said query signal; and wherein  
       said sub-system modem is further adapted, if said event is determined to have occurred, to send an indication signal to said subscriber modem within said predetermined period of time.  
     
     
       2. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said wherein said query signal and said indication signal comprise unconnected telephone calls between said subscriber modem and said system modem. 
     
     
       3. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said event is the existence of data at said network addressed to said subscriber. 
     
     
       4. The system according to  claim 3 , wherein said data is a message generated by another subscriber of said network. 
     
     
       5. The system according to  claim 3 , wherein said data is a message generated by a third party network being electronically connected to said network. 
     
     
       6. The system according to  claim 3 , wherein said data is a message generated by said network in accordance with a protocol established between said network and said subscriber. 
     
     
       7. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said sub-system modem comprises an identification means for identifying said subscriber unit. 
     
     
       8. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said sub-system modem comprises a plurality of modems and a multichannel communication port so as to provide automatic call distribution. 
     
     
       9. A method for indicating to a subscriber of a network that an event of interest to said subscriber has occurred giving said subscriber reason to initiate a connection to the network, the method comprising the steps of: 
       sending an inquiry signal from said subscriber and to a predetermined location, said inquiry signal comprising an unconnected telephone call and said inquiry signal being terminated after the expiration of a predetermined period of time;  
       receiving said inquiry signal at said predetermined location;  
       identifying said inquiry signal at said predetermined location as originating from said subscriber;  
       determining at said predetermined location whether said event has occurred; and  
       if said event has occurred, notifying said subscriber that said event has occurred by connecting said unconnected telephone call before it is terminated by said subscriber.  
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said event comprises the existence of data at said network addressed to said subscriber. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said data is a message generated by another subscriber of said network. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said data is a message generated by a third party network being electronically connected to said network. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said data is a message generated by said network in accordance with a protocol established between said network and said subscriber. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said unconnected telephone call comprises dialing a toll-free telephone number. 
     
     
       15. A system for indicating to a subscriber of a network that an event has occurred giving reason to initiate a connection to the network, the system comprising: 
       a subscriber unit having a modem and a counter; and  
       an indication sub-system interconnected between said subscriber unit and said host facility, said indication sub-system having a sub-system modem, said sub-system modem being interconnected via a telephone communication link with said subscriber unit modem and adapted to receive a query signal from said subscriber unit and to send an indication signal to said subscriber unit associated with said subscriber; wherein  
       said subscriber unit modem is adapted to send one said inquiry signal comprising an unconnected telephone call from said subscriber unit modem and to said sub-system modem, and said counter being adapted to terminate said inquiry signal after the expiration of a predetermined period of time; and  
       said indication sub-system being adapted to identify said inquiry signal with said sub-system modem as originating from said subscriber modem, and said indication sub-system being further adapted to determine from said network whether said event has occurred, and, if said event has occurred, notify said subscriber that said event has occurred by connecting said unconnected telephone call before it is terminated by said counter.  
     
     
       16. The system according to  claim 15 , wherein said event comprises the existence of data at said network addressed to said subscriber. 
     
     
       17. The system according to  claim 16 , wherein said data is a message generated by another subscriber of said network. 
     
     
       18. The system according to  claim 16 , wherein said data is a message generated by a third party network being electronically connected to said network. 
     
     
       19. The system according to  claim 16 , wherein said data is a message generated by said network in accordance with a protocol established between said network and said subscriber. 
     
     
       20. The system according to  claim 15 , wherein said sending of said unconnected telephone call comprises dialing a toll-free telephone number associated with said sub-system modem.